Why visiting Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família is now more worthwhile than ever

144 years in the making. Few buildings embody the idea of the “work in progress” as strongly as Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família. Construction began in 1882 and is now entering its final stretch, scheduled to be completed in 2026—the centenary of the architect who defined Catalan modernism. Spanish architect Jordi Faulí, who currently oversees the site, recently presented the nearly completed state of the basilica, along with the cultural calendar that will accompany Barcelona and its visitors toward this historic milestone.

The celebrations will begin with four days during the city’s Festa de la Mercè, when 20,000 residents from the surrounding neighborhoods, chosen by lottery, will be invited to visit the basilica free of charge and witness the latest progress on site. This will be followed by concerts—including a special performance by the Orfeó Català choir in the central nave—public readings, light installations projected onto the façades, solemn masses, and, above all, the long-awaited inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ, the symbolic and spiritual heart of the basilica. The year 2026 will bring further milestones: citywide exhibitions, the World Congress of Architects, the official presentation of the Tour de France teams in Barcelona, and on June 10, a commemoration marking the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death, culminating with the illumination of the Nativity façade.

The most eagerly anticipated moment remains the completion of the Tower of Jesus Christ. Rising above the central nave, it will be the last and tallest of the basilica’s 18 towers. At 172.5 meters, it will make the Sagrada Família the tallest church in the world. Its summit will be crowned by a 17-meter cross, assembled on site at a height of 54 meters in several sections, adorned with glass and enamel ceramics. This spectacular operation will turn the construction process itself into an event visible across the Barcelona skyline.

Work is also progressing on the façades of the Chapel of the Assumption, with sculptures entrusted to contemporary artists Mercè Riba, Béatrice Bizot, and Teresa Riba. Meanwhile, construction of the Glory façade—the basilica’s future main entrance—has begun, though its completion timeline remains uncertain.

The Sagrada Família began as a modest initiative of a small religious association, the Asociación Espiritual de Devotos de San José, funded by donations. Over time, it became one of the most famous “unfinished” buildings in architectural history—a story so complex that until 2019 the basilica was technically considered an illegal construction, as it had never received an official permit from the city of Barcelona.

Today, 144 years after the first stone was laid, Gaudí’s masterpiece is more than a must-see landmark attracting nearly five million visitors a year. It is also a living laboratory, where construction, cultural events, and the architect’s enduring legacy continue to shape one of the most fascinating chapters in the history of architecture. Meanwhile, another Gaudí icon is also returning to its original splendor: Casa Batlló. Domus recently reported on the meticulous restoration that has, for the first time, revealed the building’s authentic colors.

Opening image: Photo Pourya Gohari from Unsplash